Wheeled truck



Feb. 13, 1940. D. G. MORGAN. 2,190,368

WHEELED TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Deo. 19, 1938 y IN V EN TOR'.

DA wb G. MORGAN.

ff' ATTORNEYS.

Y* Feb. 13; 1940. D. G. MORGAN I 2,190,368

WHEELED TRUCK Filed Dec. 19, 1938A v 2 sheets-sheet 2- INVENTOR. DAV/o GMo/eGA/v Patented Feb. 13, 1940 WHEELEDV TRUCK Davia o. Margen.' san-Francisco, Calif.

Application December 19, 1938, Serial No. 246,559

7 claims.

ymore particularly to a four-Wheeled truck suitable` for use over rough terrain. l Among the objects of my invention are: 'To pro- .'a' vide a four-wheeled, closely coupled truck for use overA rough'terrain; to provide a four-wheeled truck mounting having individual axle action; to provide a four-wheeled truck tending 'to stabilize the plane ofthe loa'd; and to` provide lo a simple and eflcientfour-wheeled truck'permitting weaving of the wheels without displacement of the'load.

Other objectsof my invention willbe apparent substantial or will be specifically pointed out in the descripl tion .forming apart of this specification, but I p do not limit myself to the embodiment of the invention herein described, as various forms may be adopted within the scope of the claims.

'I'he word truck is used in this application in the sense that it defines a set of wheels carrying a frame suitable for transporting a load, and'is not used in the sense defining a complete automotive vehicle.

My invention `is particularly adapted for the use of carrying heavy loads, such as logs, and is,y

adapted to be towed, if desired, by a tractor or other automotive device.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. lis a side View in elevation, partly in section, of one preferred embodiment of my device as utilized in a trailer. l

Fig. 2 `is a cross-sectional view, partly in elevation, taken as indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View, partly in elevation, taken as indicated by the line 3-A-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top viewin elevation, part of they loading frame being shown as cut away.

Fig. 54 is a side .viewin elevation showing the weaving action of the axles'in a truck of my in- 40 vention.

Referring directly to the-drawings for a more detailed description of my invention, a load carrying frame I carries a pair of bearings. 2. Through these bearings runs a frame axle 3, attached at each side to spring beds 4. Immediately below spring beds 4 are positioned parallel wheel beams 5. Spring beds 4 are supported on wheel beams'.

5 by a plurality of, preferablyfour, coil springs.

6, these springs being engaged in threads 1. of

Lspring vstuds 8 at each terminal of each spring,

,the spring bed-studs being lfastened to the spring bed and the wheel beam studs being fastened to the wheel beams 5. n

In order to prevent relative horizontal motion between the spring bed members 4 and the wheel l (015280-124) My inventionv relates to wheeled trucks, andv beam members 5', a torque column 9 is projected from each springy bed to enter a torque recess Ii) in eachwheel beam. Thus, the wheel beams may move vertically with relation `to the spring beds in accordance with spring action, but cannot move :5,

horizontally with relation thereto, thus taking care of the torque exerted by inertia, braking, traction, etc., 4the torque column 9 sliding freely within torque recess I 0. y

Wheel beams are supported normally parallel, 10

wheel axles I2 `passing through each wheel beam in a special bearing which willbe described later,

and :outside of the wheel beams, each axle I2 is provided with a pair of wheels I4. The wheel axles are. preferably spaced sufficiently close to- 1,5 gether so that the Wheels' on each side will have ample clearance yet be sufiiciently close to distribute the load properly.

Inasmuch as one of the difliculties that has arisen in the use of closely coupled four-Wheeled 20 trucks of the type described has been that it has heretofore been necessary to spring each wheel individually Ihave been able to utilize common springsv for the four wheels by providing axle bearings which will allow the wheel axles tol de- 25 part from parallelism in the horizontal plane,

but which-will maintain the axle movement in` parallel vertical planes. While I have shown my f axles in this embodiment as being solid axles and rotating, it will be obvious that dead axles may, 30

be utilized by following the: teachings to be given herein.

Referring, for example, to Fig. 3, each axle is provided, within the boundaries of wheel beams 5,with thrust collars I5. These thrust collars 35 fit thrust slots in split cylindrical bearings I6,

rthe axes of these cylindrical bearings being parallel to the extent of the wheel beams and to the direction of motion of the truck. The outer surfaces of these cylindrical bearings t cylin- 40 drical cavities in wheel beams 5, thus allowing each axle to assume an angular relationship to the horizontal plane independently of the other axle, so that when the truck rides over an obstruction, as shown in Fig. 5, the high'wheel 45 `will cause rotation of the cylindrical bearing of When only one wheel of the four is high, or when one pair of diagonal wheels is high, bothy axles will be free to depart from the horizontal plane without greatly disturbing the load frame plane. Load frame I, of course, Will be tipped when both wheels on one side are high, but even under such extreme conditions the tipping is greatly reduced from what it would otherwise be.

Angular displacement of axles I2 will of course very slightly decrease the distance between axle bearing centers, although the distance between torque columns 9 will always be the same. No binding of torque columns 9, however, will take place in recesses I0, inasmuch as suiciently large clearances will be present in bearings I5- I6, I6-5, 9I0 and to some extent 2 3, to take up the slight change in horizontal distance and thus prevent binding during road travel.

I have shown the preferred form of the truck of my invention as provided with towing tongues I8, but it will be obvious that if desired,'tongues I8 may be disposed of, andthe load itself used for towing, as is commonly done when transporting long logs, piles, poles, and the like materials.

While I have shown my invention as applied to a specific form, this form is exemplary only and equivalent structures will be obvious to those skilled in the art, within the scope of the apv terminating in wheels, cylindrical bearings connecting said axles and said wheel beams, vsaid bearings having their axes flxedly parallel to the l,

' extent of said wheel beams,a pair of spring beds positioned above said wheel beams, and connected y by a bed axle, a plurality of springs connecting the spring beds with said wheel beams on eachk side, a torque carrying connection between said spring connected spring beds and wheel beams, land a load frame mounted ori `said bed axle.

2. Apparatus in accordance `with claim 1,

wherein coil springs are attachedto connect said Wheel beams and spring beds.

3. Apparatus in accordance with u wherein coil springs are attached to connect said wheel beams and spring beds, said springs being equally distributed on each side of said bed axle.-`

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1,l

wherein each of said wheel axles is a live axlev and rotates within said cyllndrical'bearing,

'7. Apparatus in accordance vwith claim 1, wherein each of said wheel axles is a live axle and I claim `1,

rwherein coil springs are attached to connect said rotates `within 'said cylindrical bearing, and

wherein a thrust collar on said live axles engages.

interior surfaces of fsaid cylindrical bearings.

DAVID G. MORGAN. 

